Dunedin landed at No. 27 on a national ranking of the best U.S. cities for snowbirds heading into the 2026-2027 winter season.

The study, published Oct. 1 by StorageCafe, an online self-storage listing platform, scored 472 cities on 14 factors including winter climate, beach access, seasonal housing availability, grocery costs, walkability, healthcare and safety. Florida dominated the list, placing 63 cities in the top 100. Texas followed with 25.

Clearwater ranked No. 9, the highest-ranked city in Pinellas County. St. Petersburg came in at No. 66.

Pinellas County's tourism industry recorded its strongest spring on record in 2026, collecting more than $36.2 million in tourist development tax revenue from February through April. That marked a 7.7% increase over the same period a year earlier, according to WUSF.

Brian Lowack, president and CEO of Visit St. Pete-Clearwater, said in a July 28 St. Pete Catalyst report that "Dunedin has emerged as one of Pinellas County's fastest-growing destinations."

Victor Maghear, a consumer trends and market analyst at StorageCafe, estimated that about 40 million retirees and remote workers in colder states have the flexibility to spend part of winter somewhere warmer. Maghear told the Business Observer that snowbirds fill seasonal homes and keep local restaurants, shops and clinics busy for months.

In a 2025 city business survey, 57% of Dunedin business respondents rated tourism as "very important" to their decision to locate in the city, according to city records.

StorageCafe's study also found that 57% of Clearwater's vacant housing units are classified as seasonal or recreational, one of the highest shares among top-ranked cities. The company noted that snowbird demand underpins seasonal rentals, short-term rental income and retail activity across Sun Belt markets.

The snowbird season runs from October through March.